Interim Fire Chief Ryan Roush presents the fire department’s 2026 budget to the city council. P-J photo by Sara Holthouse

Jamestown’s interim fire chief says the city needs to start the process of purchasing a new ladder truck soon.

There is no money in the 2026 budget for that purchase, but Ryan Roush, interim fire chief, said during a budget presentation to the City Council that capital needs are piling up for the fire department. The overall fire department budget is down two percent this year, he said, but Roush would like to be able to include new capital expenses and equipment such as a ladder truck and miscellaneous truck.

“It’s probably going to need significant engine work next year, there’s a chance,” Roush said of the miscellaneous truck. “I don’t have the estimates as far as the cost associated with that but it will probably result in some down time and that truck is used to plow three stations as well as the training grounds for snow removal so it’s a pretty important piece of equipment.”

While the department is looking to get a new ladder truck, Roush noted that that capital expense has been removed for the current budget. He said that in order to get a new truck they have to put in the request 36 to 39 months in advance. It will probably be at least a year to search for a truck and order one and then another three years after that before the department gets it.

Also in the equipment line for the fire department’s budget are some replacement SCBA bottles, six of which were replaced last year through a grant. Roush said it was discovered that the new bottles were not compatible with the old bottles that the fire department still had, not having the same types of connections. These types of bottles also need replacing every five years and it is time to look at some spare ones.

“We went from 90 some bottles down to 64 with the grant so we’re trying to slowly increase our quantity of bottles per air pack over the next few years,” Roush said.

The department is also in need of a replacement water hose.

The amount of fuel costs budgeted for has decreased from what Roush said was originally requested, which he said is probably OK but may cause 2026 to be tight in that area by the end of the year. The department also has one anticipated retirement.

The council briefly discussed disability pensions for firefighters and the amount made up for that by the city, along with internet fiber costs and if that cost would go away with the installation of the Board of Public Utilities’s planned fiber program, along with the increase from the BPU on the utility charge.

The department’s wish list of items not currently included in the budget were then discussed, along with revenue streams and an increase in the cost of licenses, dues and subscriptions for Microsoft Office programming.

Budget presentations to city council from the city’s departments will continue throughout October and November.